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RIOT Technology Corp.
| #220
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10114 McDonald Park Rd | North Saanich V8L5X8, BC Canada | +1.250.412.6642
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RIOT Technology Corp.
Slide Hammer and Pilot Rod Installation Method
1.
For assembled pilot rods, skip to step 2. For disassembled pilot rods, select the appropri-
ate number of middle rod segments based on the length of your probe.Assemble the pi-
lot rod by screwing one segment into the other, connecting each rod segment together
to form the body of the pilot rod, making sure all edges are aligned. Screw in the pilot
rod tip to one end of the pilot rod body and the top cap to the other end.
2.
Lay the pilot rod down next to the sensor probe, with both tips aligned. Wrap a piece of
tape around the pilot rod at the depth the rod should be driven into the soil (which
should line up with the top of the sensor).
3.
Screw the pilot rod into the slide hammer as shown. Use two adjustable wrenches to
make sure the threads are tight. A loose connection can damage the threads as you are
hammering.
4.
At the location where you want to install the probe, use a repetitive up-then-down mo-
tion on the slide hammer to vertically drive the pilot rod into the soil. Be sure to hold the
slide hammer vertically without side-to-side movement. Drive the pilot rod in until it
reaches the tape marking made in step 2.
Left:
Illustration of Step 3,
Right:
Illustration of Step 4
5.
Once the pilot rod reaches the desired depth, extract the pilot rod by using the slide
hammer in reverse, lifting it rapidly to hammer upwards. Be sure to hold the slide ham-
mer vertically without side-to-side movement to extract the pilot rod straight up.
6.
Once the pilot rod is extracted, clear away any loose soil at the top edges of the hole so
that it doesn’t fall into the hole.
7.
Insert the sensor probe into the hole, pressing it in as far as possible by hand. Pour a bit
of water around the probe at the top of the hole if the soil is very tightly packed to help
it slide more smoothly into the hole. You can use a dead blow hammer to very gently
tap the top of the sensor if you are having trouble pushing in the sensor by hand.
